Emergence and Design

Brian Goodwin taught me that the most important lesson of complexity science is a shift of intention away from prediction and control to appropriate participation . The mental, emotional and psychological state of an intervener affects the outcome of any systems intervention. If we stop wanting to control change and shift to a responsive dance with... See more

It is best to regard emergence and design as two sides of the same coin. As participants in these systems we are all co-responsible for what properties will emerge. Both the quality of our being and what we do or don’t do affects the overall health and wellbeing of the complex dynamic systems we participate in.

I believe that to design for appropriate participation is ultimately to design for human and planetary health.